Chapter 7

Caroline lay restless in bed, thinking about the last 24 hours. She couldn't sleep, her mind wouldn't let her. She could admit, even though she was a vampire, her body felt tired. It was the first time in a long time that she physically wanted to sleep. However, her mind wouldn't allow it. The hallucinations kept replaying in her mind and she couldn't stop thinking about Gavin and Robert and the things Klaus had said and Tyler's anger towards her, Klaus in her bed.

She wished Klaus would be in her bed now. She felt safer, more comfortable, when he was sitting beside her. Having him so close to her felt right. Seeing him again, the real, not hallucinated version of him, took her breath away. It was the moment when he sat down next to her that she realized she missed him. She took a deep breath, pushing the blanket off of her, her legs pulling her to the side of her bed. She sat up, slowly standing up from her bed. She started tip toeing towards her door, opening it as quietly as she could. She continued tip toeing into the hallway.

"Caroline." Klaus' voice sounded sternly from the living room before she had reached the living room. The selfish part of him had been hoping she would come out to the living room, while the other side told him she needed to rest. He needed to confront her and talk with her about everything, both hybrid and non-hybrid related things, if he was going to stay here longer, but she also wasn't safe when he wasn't around. He looked up from his drawing, glancing towards the hall way as her scarcely clad body peaked out of the hall way. She was wearing a t-shirt, that he felt he recognized, and a pair of incredibly tiny shorts. He looked back down to his drawing. "You need to rest love, get back in bed. Now."

She glanced around the corner, pressing against the wall, looking at him, resting her face against the wall. She opened her mouth, a small squeak coming out slurring into a mocking tone when she said the word 'love', "I can't sleep, 'love'."

He looked up from his drawing, his eyes tracing over her body, a smile forming at his lips, then motioned for her to join him on the couch.

"Would you like to sit with me for a bit? Although, I really think you should be trying to rest. In bed. Without me." He said, his voice fading as she nodded. He leaned forward, closing his sketchbook before setting it down on the coffee table.

Caroline walked over towards him, glancing around the room, the heat and glow from the fire caught her attention. She also noticed a suitcase sitting next to the door. Maybe he really was going to stay; at least it appeared that he packed in a way that would allow him to stay. She sat down on the couch beside him, pulling the red blanket that was lying along the back of the couch over her shoulders. She didn't feel cold, she couldn't feel cold, but she had always found a throw blanket to be comforting after she had nightmares.

"So tell me, what is keeping you from falling asleep?" He said, turning towards her, throwing his arm over the back of the couch. His pride not allowing him to pull her into his arms just yet. He couldn't help but admire the way her hair was messy and falling over her shoulders.

"My body feels tired, I feel achy almost. Seriously. I'm a vampire, is that even possible? I haven't felt this way in so long." She said, pulling her knees to her chest. "But I just can't stop thinking."

"You will feel better in a day or so, if not, you can have more of my blood. What exactly are you thinking about, sweetheart?" He said. Observing her, taking in the sight of her. It had been so long since he last saw her. She seemed so fragile in this moment compared to the girl he last saw in mystic falls. Her eyes looked sad, like she wanted to cry, they didn't burst with fire like they had before.

"Everything. Literally everything. Why me? How did I get in this situation again? Why did you come back? Why are you giving me a second chance after everything I said back in Mystic Falls? What color should I paint the kitchen? Why did I get the hallucinations I get? I can't stop replaying them in my head. What if you didn't see my call? What if I would have died? What would my mom do? What would you have done? Why do I-" Caroline whispered frantically before Klaus cut her off by grabbing her hand, taking it in his, his thumb tracing over her knuckles. She inhaled deeply, looking at him, her eyes starting to swell with tears. "Inhale and exhale"

"Why did you come?" Caroline asked, pulling strings out of her blanket, before looking to him again. He couldn't believe she wouldn't expect him to.

"Caroline." He replied, clenching his jaw exhaling with a sigh. "Don't make me regret staying."

She frowned, looking at the fire she had started. Not feeling like she could look him in the eyes. She always had a habit of saying the wrong thing, at the wrong time.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I care for you? Really? I don't know what else I can do or say to make you under-" Klaus said exasperated before he was cut off by Caroline lacing her fingers with his, and pulling it closer to her, tracing his wrist with her fingertips.

"I'm sorry, you're right." She said, scooting closer to him, her legs touching his through the blanket, turning toward him, she had to let go of her pride and accept the fact that, she had taken things too far this time. Klaus had done almost everything he could, to help her, or save her in the past and she had to be thankful and ultimately, she had to accept that she needed, and more importantly, wanted him. "I'm so sorry Klaus."

"We don't have to talk about this tonight, Caroline." He said, glancing down to their hands. He couldn't remember the last time he held someone's hands.

"I don't mind. I know we have to talk about things. I have a lot of explaining to do." She sighed, running her fingers over his hand again.

"I mind, love. I want you to get rest, don't worry anything. I'm here, you're safe, that's all that matters right this second." He said, pulling his hand away from hers, leaning forward to pick up his sketchbook again.

Caroline frowned, looking at him, her eyes traveling down his face, resting on his lips. The guilt hitting her out of nowhere. She signed, laying down, resting her head on leg. He tensed up, looking down at her, she had her eyes closed, and was turned towards the back of the couch, her body curled up.

"This isn't your bed, sweetheart." He said, through a slightly strained voice.

"Klaus…6 years….please don't make me go to the other room." She whispered, looking up at him. He let his eyes stare into hers for a few moments before nodding and continuing to draw. Looking at him sitting beside her, made her realize just what exactly has been missing for the last 6 years. Klaus let his body relax as she snuggled closer to him, relishing in the fact that Caroline was wanting to be close to him, and enjoy the comfortable silence. He laughed to himself, wondering how long Caroline could remain silent. Almost on queue her voice spoke up.

"You know, this apartment-" She started, rolling over, so her back was against the couch so she could look into the fire. She wished she could have seen Klaus starting the fire, knowing how hard it had been for her to get it started the first night she was in.

"Caroline, if you are going to continue to try and talk, I will put you in the other room." He said, trying to sound stern before Caroline burst into laughter. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing." She said rolling onto her stomach, sitting up, trying to peak at what he was drawing. He pulled the sketchbook away, shaking his head towards her. Silently telling her, she couldn't see it.

"If we talk, will you at least sit still?" He said, a smile forming at his lips again.

"Maybe." Caroline replied with a quiet laugh.

"What do you want to talk about?" He said, his hands and pencil still moving over the paper.

"Why did you come save me? I thought surely after….I just thought you hated me, or that you would never want to see me again." She asked quietly after a few minutes.

"Even if I could ever hate you, I wouldn't let someone kill you because of something that is solely my responsibility or out of vengeance." He said, without looking at her. He had enemies, he would always have enemies.

"How did you turn Gavin into a hybrid?" She asked, suddenly remembering he was, in fact, a hybrid. Elena was a vampire. So that couldn't be an option.

"He came to me. I didn't seek him out." He answered, pulling away from the sketch he was doing. "I had a small vile of Elena's blood left. I wasn't really planning on using it. Not yet anyways. But, he was persistent, I mean, he was bloody persistent. Anyways, I eventually gave in, and he gladly took it, now he's a hybrid. Clearly not a very good one."

"So you used your sire bond in order to have him watch me? He did a pretty terrible job, if I say so myself." She responded, laughing as Klaus furrowed his eyebrows.

"That's the thing, he isn't sired, love. I gave him an opportunity, I invested in his future you could say. All he had to do was keep an eye on something that is rather important to me. He's a little young, immature and erratic, but he's quite smart" Was all Klaus responded with.

Caroline didn't respond, she only snuggled closer to him, letting her hand drop to his calf. "I think Gavin's brother needs to know that."

"Is that so?" Klaus responded, almost uninterestedly.

"The reason he poisoned me was so that you would come here and unsire Gavin." Caroline responded, grabbing his sketchbook from the table.

"Love, I would rather talk about this in the morning, after you've rested." Klaus said, peering down towards her, as she started flipping through the sketchbook.

"Robert's dead now, isn't he?" Realizing why Klaus wouldn't want to talk about it.

"No, not yet. However, he is a liability. I can't let this happen again, Caroline." Klaus snapped, standing up from the couch. Caroline's head falling onto the seat cushion. She sat up, with a look that surprised Klaus. She didn't look angry.

"I'm not mad. I understand why you have to do it. I don't agree with it, but I understand it." She responded, looking up at him, he seemed frustrated, tired almost. She watched as he stood there, waiting for her to continue speaking. "Why did Gavin want to become a hybrid?"

"If you want to know more about Gavin, or his brother, I would prefer you take it up with Gavin." Klaus responded meekly, turning away from her to walk to the kitchen.

Caroline flashed over to the kitchen doorway, looking at him, before quietly responding. "Please stop trying to get away from me."

"You know, 6 years ago, you would have been quite thankful that I was walking away from you." He replied, not looking at her while he filled a teapot with water.

Caroline frowned, looking towards him, waiting for him to turn around. When he didn't, she walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back. She felt him tense up, and heard him swallow. "I was just angry, I said things I didn't mean and don't feel." She opened her mouth and said to him, "I don't know how many time's I can tell you I'm sorry."

Before she could say anything else, Klaus turned around and cupped her face, his thumb stroking her lips. Her mouth opened slightly as Klaus leaned down and pressed his lips softly against hers. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment before kissing her lips again.